Politics
Roll call
Behind the anonymous voice vote on civil unions
Feb 3, 2010 |
After more than a year of debate over the civil unions measure, House Bill 444, state representatives last Friday approved–via anonymous voice vote–a motion by House Speaker Calvin Say to indefinitely postpone action on the bill.
The decision was in stark contrast to the House vote last session, when 33 of 51 representatives voted in support of the original bill, which would have extended to same-sex couples some of the legal protections offered to married couples.
This year–an election year–the speaker said that, by his count, support for House Bill 444 had dwindled below the supermajority level that would allow it to override a possible veto by the governor (the Senate passed the bill with a supermajority vote of 18-7 during the first week of the session).
After the House voice vote, there were widespread calls for more transparency from elected officials over exactly how the bill was effectively killed this session. The Weekly asked each representative: How did you vote in the voice vote on Speaker Say’s motion to postpone House Bill 444? Here’s what they told us.
| We asked | He/She said | Voice vote |
|---|---|---|
| * = Abstained – = No Response |
||
| Rep. Henry Aquino (D) | “For the motion to postpone indefinitely, I voted aye.” | Aye |
| Rep. Karen Awana (D) | Did not respond | – |
| Rep. Della Au Belatti (D) | “I voted no, so that means I voted not to postpone it.” | Nay |
| Rep. Lyla Berg (D) | “My voice said no… I really would have appreciated a little more time for this bill to run its course and more people to have been part of the process.” | Nay |
| Rep. Joe Bertram (D) | “There was such a strong push that we present a united front but I couldn’t. I said no, and I felt nonplussed that we couldn’t get a roll call.” | Nay |
| Rep. Tom Brower (D) | “My preference is no and I was thinking no, but I didn’t say anything.” | * |
| Rep. Rida Cabanilla (D) | “No comment from me.” | – |
| Rep. Mele Carroll (D) | Did not respond | – |
| Rep. Jerry Chang (D) | Declined to comment. Vote expressed via aide. | Aye |
| Rep. Corinne Ching (R) | “Yes, I did indeed vote to postpone it.” | Aye |
| Rep. Pono Chong (D) | “I actually seconded the motion.” | Aye |
| Rep. Isaac Choy (D) | “Aye” | Aye |
| Rep. Denny Coffman (D) | “I was going to support the motion with reservations but I voted no… The speaker said he wanted to have a supermajority but I, personally, was struggling with whether that was a real issue.” | Nay |
| Rep. Cindy Evans (D) | “I voted to postpone.” | Aye |
| Rep. Lynn Finnegan (R) | “I voted yes. I would’ve preferred a roll call vote to be transparent to the public.” | Aye |
| Rep. Faye Hanohano (D) | “I went no… They didn’t give us time for somebody to say,‘take a roll call vote.’ That was kind of uncool and made everybody a little confused.” | Nay |
| Rep. Sharon Har (D) | Declined to comment. Vote expressed via aide. | Aye |
| Rep. Robert Herkes (D) | “I wasn’t there… I woud have supported the speaker’s motion, though.” | Excused |
| Rep. Ken Ito (D) | “Aye, and I would have voted down the bill, too.” | Aye |
| Rep. Jon Karamatsu (D) | “I was just dead silent. I want to be able to win this issue but I need to maintain the relationships with the majority.” | * |
| Rep. Gilbert Keith-Agaran (D) | “I voted with the majority.” | Aye |
| Rep. Chris Lee (D) | “I actually voted twice. I yelled no the first time when everybody was supposed to yell yes. And then I yelled no again at the right time.” | Nay |
| Rep. Marilyn Lee (D) | Did not respond | – |
| Rep. Sylvia Luke (D) | Did not respond | – |
| Rep. Michael Magaoay (D) | Declined to comment. Vote expressed via aide. | Aye |
| Rep. Joey Manahan (D) | “I said aye.” | Aye |
| Rep. Barbara Marumoto (R) | Did not respond | – |
| Rep. Angus McKelvey (D) | Did not respond | – |
| Rep. John Mizuno (D) | “I voted in support of the motion.” | Aye |
| Rep. Hermina Morita (D) | “I voiced my ‘no’ to the motion… To say that I am disappointed and ashamed on what happened on the House floor would be an understatement.” | Nay |
| Rep. Mark Nakashima (D) | Responded without revealing vote | – |
| Rep. Scott Nishimoto (D) | Did not respond | – |
| Rep. Blake Oshiro (D) | “I voted no.” | Nay |
| Rep. Marcus Oshiro (D) | “I voted yes, well, aye.” | Aye |
| Rep. Kymberly Pine (R) | “I voted in favor of his motion. My constituents are overwhelmingly against the measure.” | Aye |
| Rep. Karl Rhoads (D) | “I voted no. I said [loudly] ‘nooo!’” | Nay |
| Rep. Roland Sagum (D) | “People in the gallery wanted a roll call but it went down as a voice vote. It wasn’t because we are trying to hide anything… I don’t want to tell you, though. I’m trying to honor the process.” | – |
| Rep. Scott Saiki (D) | “I voted no.” | Nay |
| Speaker Calvin Say (D) | Motioned to “postpone indefinitely” House Bill 444. Did not respond. | – |
| Rep. Maile Shimabukuro (D) | “When you do a voice vote, you can sit there and not say anything. The whole point of it is there has already been a decision by the leadership.” | * |
| Rep. Joseph Souki (D) | “I chose at that time not to take any major action. So I was neutral.” | * |
| Rep. Mark Takai (D) | “I supported that motion. I didn’t say anything. So, by default, I supported it.” | * |
| Rep. Roy Takumi (D) | “I actually had a ventriloquist who spoke for me [laughs]. I voted no.” | Nay |
| Rep. Cynthia Thielen (R) | “I voted no.” | Nay |
| Rep. James Tokioka (D) | “I voted yes.” | Aye |
| Rep. Clift Tsuji (D) | Declined to comment | – |
| Rep. Glenn Wakai (D) | Declined to comment | – |
| Rep. Gene Ward (R) | “I agreed with the speaker. Here’s to transparency!” | Aye |
| Rep. Jessica Wooley (D) | “I voted no.” | Nay |
| Rep. Ryan Yamane (D) | Did not respond | – |
| Rep. Kyle Yamashita (D) | Did not respond | – |
